Winsupply has lost some business in states with strict stay-at-home orders and laid off some employees, but its overall financial picture and workforce remain strong, President John McKenzie says. "When pipe goes under the ground, as we say, that usually means the economy is doing well," he says.

Amazon's Prime Air cargo fleet could increase from 42 to roughly 200 planes by 2028, according to a new study. The e-commerce giant's new $1.5 billion Cincinnati-area hub can accommodate up to 200 daily flights, fueling Amazon's ability to compete with UPS and FedEx, the report says.

Distributors should be looking at business with companies in industries that fared well during the Great Recession, including dollar stores, auto repairs and service, and professional cleaning, writes Michael Wilson, vice president of marketing and packaging at AFFLINK. Any do-it-yourself industry could be worth examining, he adds.

Globalization, complexity and now the COVID-19 pandemic have put pressure on pharmaceutical supply chains, underscoring the importance of data management and data security. A white paper from Overhaul and FreightWaves outlines risks and solutions for supply chain visibility, including artificial intelligence for detection of disruptions and notification of law enforcement and others when illegal activity is detected.

Commonsku's Bobby Lehew talks in this podcast about leveraging the art of storytelling in business-to-business marketing. "People see themselves in stories, which is what makes stories so powerful," he says, adding that B2B marketers "think we should approach the world rationally, when in fact we should unpack and spend a lot more time around emotion."

Managers should shift toward a management by objectives style instead of attempting to micromanage employees while many are working from home, writes Geoffrey James. It's important to shift attention away from processes and systems and toward organizational goals, related objectives and consistent evaluations, James writes.

Older or larger companies can create spaces for organic innovation with small, multidisciplinary groups that meet regularly to come up with ideas and test and refine them. "It's important to evaluate Jet Ski projects rapidly, every two weeks, and decide whether to kill them, change course, or add more resources as they scale up into 'Speed Boats,' " writes Bruno Henriques, an executive at iFood.

Are we at or near the general economic bottom? What is happening in various wholesale distribution market segments? What are the stock market and interest rates doing now and in the near term? Find out everything from NAW Senior Economic Advisor Alan Beaulieu at our second critical economic forecast webinar, "Distribution Post COVID-19 Outlook," on Thursday, May 28, 3 to 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Seats are limited, so purchase yours here.

Are you well-informed about different best practices and knowledge in our industry? If not, NAW's Top 10 E-book List can help get you up-to-speed quickly so you and your business can stay competitive in these challenging times.